Work and Play

This thread is for everyone. I don't limit my posts or blogs or threads to a specific type of opinion. I want to hear all the voices of the gaming community. However, this thread may be a little different. You see when I started gaming, I was like 5 years old. I had no job, no girlfriend, no worries. Well this is now and now I'm 24 with a job and a girlfriend and the same ambition to game. Damn me, damn me to the deepest depths of the oceans for loving games so much and having "NO TIME" to play them all. Oh and how the irony smacks me right in the face as I try to collect as many trophies as possible with minimal time. This is my thread. Anyone have this same feeling? I can't get the platinum for everything if I don't have the time. Well here is where you can let loose. Speaking of having no time, I made this thread while at work!

I kind of have it. It's like I want to get all these platinums(I could probably get most of them), but it seems don't have that much time. Seems school take up a big part, and weekends can be hectic. Summertime though I get a lot more done. Then again, I do a lot with my family during then, but still get a lot more time. Just 3/1/2 more freakin months. I do start mowing, but doesn't take that much time. Nice thread Metalkor!

I started gaming when I was very young. Throughout my childhood I always played. I'd go straight to an arcade after school for a few hours then go home and play before I went to bed. My grades were probably not so good because of it. Now I'm 25 years old and work for a living. My work doesn't really get in my way since I have all the time I want as soon as I finish my day. However, life does get in the way a lot. Once you get older you do have more responsibilities. I live alone so I don't need to worry about who's watching the TV. My girlfriend and all my other friends take up some time. I don't have as much time to play games since people want to hang out, people want to come over, people need your help. Now, I like helping out my friends and spending time with my girlfriend so its not a total loss if I can't spend extra time hunting for trophies.

Parenthood, now that would put a dent in gaming time. Good post Meta. Mind if I call you Meta?

I am fairly new when it comes to gaming. Trying to balance some "me" time and responsibilities is always a headache, and usually the first is always put on the back-burner. Especially now since its tax season... eck. Growing up I did play games, but not much. Now I wish I had that type of freedom again. Between work, keeping a house straight, personal relationships, and responsibilities its hard to have any energy to game, if there is time left in the day. I could not even image if there is children in the mix as well. But I have found a solution that helps. I turned gaming into a personal reward system for myself. That way when the work is done, I can treat myself to "me" time again as my reward.

Great responses! Don't mind if you call me Meta. But here's the thing. As an adult you want to stabilize yourself and push gaming aside as if it's a hobby. It's true, gaming probably shouldn't be taken so seriously. I went to the Marine Corps and came back to become a delivery driver. That was definitely not in my plans for a career or even a source of income. I was raised to believe you should enjoy your work so kudos to anyone that works in the entertainment industry. Since I've played games my whole life I feel ashamed to put it on the back burner. I'm glad my girlfriend doesn't mind me playing so intensely and we've discussed having children, which of course is a huge personal sacrifice. It poses the question, " Did the trophy system make gamers more intense for the better or worse?"

More intense for gaming yes. I'm mean it has to. I mean I always here trophy/achievement hunts all the time. I mean just this Saturday, my brother and I were in a hunt to get 3 trophies in each uncharted 3 and batman AA. Without trophies, there would probably a bigger return rate because even with crappy games, if the trophies are easy or challenging, they'll try to platinum it. For me, if its a game I don't like, I'd probably don't bother trying. So yeah, you could say it's good to have trophies,but what's bad is when it's locked in your mind, then you must get it. There's no other outcome, but to get it. That's when it's for the worse.

I think trophies are for the better. If trophies weren't as popular I wouldn't have been able to create this group. I know some people (mostly Nintendo players) hate them but I really like the fact that I can get rewarded with trophies for playing through a game. They also add into reply value. For some games I wouldn't unlock the hardest difficulty and play through it right after beating it if it wasn't for a trophy. I'm probably not as hardcore when it comes to trophy hunting but I will go out of my way to unlock them. I sat down for over 2 hours to find the last 2 cars to drive in LA Noire to get that darn trophy.

I think the trophy system is wonderful. It gives you something to strive for in a game instead of just playing for enjoyment. What I don't like is how it is affecting daily routine and personal interest. Making me want to play games more isn't in my best interest as things start to pile up in life. and I don't believe it's right to have to make a choice between the two. Honestly, it wouldn't matter if the trophy system lasted forever. So in the back of my mind I'm saying, "I need to get as many trophies as possible before they don't exist anymore". Is that right?

I agree. The only problem is if you don't get the trophy. You keep working and working on getting it, but don't get it. An example for me is heavy rain. I started late July, and wanted to plat it by school started in mid August. From them, that was mostly on my mind. It came time, and I hadn't gotten it. I thought I'd never get it. A week later, I finally got it. Don't get me wrong, I love trophies. If I have no new game, or not on a platinum hunt, I'll just try to get trophies. It's just, you kind of have to learn with the mind set " If I get it, I get it. If I don't I don't." It might just be me, but that's how I am sometimes, but not much anymore. What I kind of mad is the Ps3 announcement. This is kind of separate but after having my PS3 for 3 1/4 months, I don't just want to put it a way, and get the new one. I put to much time all ready is PS3. What are your guy's thoughts.

Well I don't think trophies are going anywhere for awhile. I'm sure that the PS4 will have them and the ones unlocked from the PS3 era will carryover. I think trophies add in some enjoyment, regardless if games didn't have them I wouldn't mind because I play mainly for the game itself.

Onto your point about Sony's announcement, Juanolo. Are you talking about the new PS3 model or Sony's upcoming announcement for the rumored PS4? If you are talking about the PS4 I have to say that I am kind of excited. I've had a PS3 since it launched and that was about 7 years ago. I love the system but I can only imagine the updates that the next system could have. I remember DICE saying that they could have made Battlefield 3 so much better if they were working on next gen hardware. That means, improved sound, graphics, and gameplay. It was the same thing when the PS3 was coming in for the PS2. I think whatever Sony has going on for the future is going to be for the better of gaming.

First, I hope you're right about trophies coming over from PS3 to PS4. I was talking about PS4. I can see where you come from. You pave had it for 7 years. Lets say you didn't get it until 4 years later. Now instead of 7, you've had it for 3 years. Are you still ready to give it up for for the PS4? To conclude, I just hope it's a while until the PS4 comes out.

If I only had it for a few years, probably not. I'd like to keep it running for longer, its kind of my feelings towards the Xbox. I got mine 2 years back and I don't see myself getting the next one once it comes out. Maybe if an Alan Wake 2 came with it I'd consider it.

That's my biggest issue as well. If the trophy system doesn't carry over, Sony would have to replace it with a better system that rewards you more. I've had my PS3 since launch and I don't think I want to give it up just yet. The PS4 will be an amazing piece of hardware, but I've dedicated so much time to the PS3. The anticipation is building rapidly for me. I want the PS4 to blow the new XBOX AND Wii U out of the water and I'm sure it will, but hopefully not at the cost of the gamer (specifically, taking away the trophies).

I think that the system in general is better than the 360 and Wii. The Wii U is a pretty good system but I think the PS3 is more powerful. I don't mind the 360 at all but the PS3 is vastly superior. When you add in built in wi fi (the original 360 did not), free online, multiple cooling systems that prevent breakdowns and blue ray all on a system and get it to work, than that's a win. I think it will be like the Vita trophies wise, you still earn them and everything is carried over. So if you get a Vita trophy it increases your trophy count and vice versa.

The graphics are only going to get better as well and the PS3 has the upper hand there since it has more power. With as good as the system is now, its only going to get better. Heck, maybe the new PlayStation will have about 700 or 800 or even 1000 gigs. The new Xbox is trying to get 500 and we already know the PS3 has a 500 model. If you think about, Sony is already in the future with the PS3, but with a PS4 its only going to get better.

Very true. I don't think I'm going to concern myself with when exactly the PS4 is releasing. I know already that it's going to be in my house when it comes out . In fact, the reason I posted the thread was because the issue that troubles me is trophy hunting for games before the PS4 hits the shelves. A whole new era of gaming is in front of us, but I'll start to worry about it sometime around the Christmas season. Right now I'm having trouble deciding whether to continue my trophy hunt on Fallout 3 and Dead Space or start a massive, month long, gaming session on Metal Gear Rising (which I am picking up in the morning). No time to play everything. This sucks!